


Cultural Differences

by Redribbonhood



Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Implied Relationships, Pets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-04 05:18:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14585796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redribbonhood/pseuds/Redribbonhood
Summary: While learning each other's language and customs, Sten and Warden Mahariel come to an interesting subject.





	Cultural Differences

## 7.…adopting fur/feather/scale babies (pets)

 **“Why are we stopping? I do not see the point in this, Kadan,”**  the Qunari warrior states gravely. His former leader is knelt down by a wooden crate on the side of the town’s main street. She ignores his question, completely fixated by the small balls of fur meowing from within. As it nears sunset, the port town seems to be growing livelier. He has to raise his voice to be heard over the sound of the merchants and vendors opening up the night market. In speaking up, he attracts attention and endures another bombardment of glares and suspicious looks. Their message is blatant: his kind are not welcome here.

 When the Hero of Ferelden had offered to return with him to Par Vollen, neither of them had expected their ship to be attacked by pirates. When they’d been boarded, the two of them had made quick work of the fools, his sword and her arrows cutting them all down effortlessly, but the ship had sustained heavy damage in the attack and had barely made it to the nearest harbor. Unfortunately that harbor had been the port of Llomerryn, an island at the southern tip of Rivain.

 **“Mana. Ma halani?”**  Mahariel asks, standing up with an  armful of squirming kittens. Sten’s frown deepens, but he obliges her request for assistance. She has been teaching him Elvish and he is a quick scholar. He takes a kitten in each of his large hands and his kadan now holds one in each of hers.

**“Why do all the shemlen keep looking at us like that? I thought the Rivaini have a peaceful relationship with elves,”**

 Sten is amused at the fierceness of her irritation, and at the glare she sends in response to the humans’ hostility. He explains to her it is not “us” but him the people of Rivain fear. Being Dalish, there are many things she does not know about humans, especially from other countries. He explains that this is the place the peace treaty was signed after the New Exalted Marches freed Rivain from Qunari rule.

 **“Venak hol,”** she calls them, shaking her head with annoyance, and a proud smile tugs at his lip. She has picked up Qunlat even faster than he has learned her language. The fearful Rivani are “wearying ones” indeed. Their suspicions now were pointless. The Qunari would inevitably return and then they would have reason to fear. Sten does not mention this to his companion though, who is once again preoccupied in choosing between the two kittens in her hands and glancing occasionally at the two in his.

 **“Which one, vhenan?”** she asks, glancing from each small creature. He stares at her, veiling his curiosity. Vhenan. She still won’t tell him what this word means. Though after their nights together on the ship, he has begun to suspect the word is not far from his term for her. In all fairness, he has not yet explained “kadan” to her either.

**“For what purpose?”**

**“To adopt of course,”**

**“I do not understand that word in this context. One adopts principles, habits, beliefs. Not purposeless furry bas,”**

She rolls her eyes at him but sighs, relenting and returning the small cats to their box. He kneels down and does the same with his. On their walk through the markets she explains the concept of “pets” to him. As they buy dinner he explains to her that the Qunari do not indulge in such pointless customs.

 **“Well it’s not like we can have any children of our own in Par Vollen,”**  she reminds him as they undress to their small clothes in the room they have rented. The inns here were more expensive than she’d expected, but stopping a Blight had brought a lot of gold to her pockets so Mahariel does not complain. After a lifetime of camping with her people and then her companions, soft beds are a luxury she is not ashamed to enjoy.

 **“Qunari do not raise imekari, no,”**  Sten admits solemnly as she blows out the candles and joins him in the large bed. Resting her head on his chest, Mahariel reminds him again that she has refused to become viddathari and he reminds her it makes no difference. He could not and would not breed with her. It would not be allowed. After some time in the darkness she decides she is fine with that. She had never imagined herself as a mother anyways.

 **“But. Pets, vhenan,”**  she insists, sitting up in bed and looking down at him. His face is partially visible from the moonlight through the window. Even in the dark she can tell he’s frowning. He tells her to go to sleep in Elvish and then repeats it in Qunlat; her language lesson for the night. She sighs but repeats the words and tucks herself against his side. This disagreement is not over.

 But the next morning they busy themselves with finding a new ship. It seems no Rivaini ships are willing to sail to Par Vollen. The dilemma takes up their minds and time for the next week. When they finally arrive at Sten’s homeland, the beauty of the tropical forests take her breath away. Mahariel forgets to bring up the subject again.

 A few months later there is a knock at her door. Mahariel lives in a small farming village by the ocean. Sten has returned to his duties as a celebrated hero but visits her as often as he is permitted. He has received a new rank from the Ariqun as the present Arishok is still away, stranded in a Free Marches city Mahariel has never heard of. She still calls him ‘Sten’ though, and he allows it when out of earshot of other Qunari. And it is he who is standing at her door this morning. A surprising visit, but not an unwelcome one. And he has brought her a gift.

 **“Sten…she’s…she’s beautiful!”**  Mahariel can barely contain her excitement and her overjoyed shouts alarm Sten as much as it amuses him. He glances around to make sure no other qunari are in sight of the farm before trying to explain himself: a ship had come to port carrying some members of a traveling Dalish clan, they had offered to trade, he had figured the milk and cheese from this creature could be useful to the Qunari, and…. She doesn’t seem to be listening. His kadan is on her knees now, arms thrown around the young creature’s neck in an overwhelmed hug. The startled creature squirms a little in her embrace.

 **“A halla! An actual halla!”**  Mahariel is breathless, starry eyed, and still clinging to the young beast. He is about to chide her for her childish behavior when she turns her head to grin at him. Her bright eyes and wide smile stop the criticism before they leave his mouth. Her next words obliterate them.  **“Ma serannas. Ar lath ma, vhenan.”**

He no longer needs the translation.

**Author's Note:**

>  **“Mana. Ma halani?”** = "Help me", Elvish  
>  **“Venak hol,”** = "wearying ones", Qunlat, a mild insult  
>  **"imekari"** = "children", Qunlat  
>  **“Ma serannas. Ar lath ma, vhenan.”** = "Thank you. I love you, my heart,", Elvish
> 
> I headcanon that all Dalish are halla nerds. Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think!
> 
> Written for a request. But also I love writing Sten.


End file.
